Fire danger high in Texas

February 28, 2008 6:03:44 PM PST

ARCHER CITY, TX --

With winds up to 35 mph and low humidity, fire danger was high across much of Texas and one city was prepared to evacuate. Twelve fires that had started earlier in the week continued burning and officials had gotten word of several more by Thursday afternoon, said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Anne Jeffery.

Archer County Judge Gary Beesinger said that after a wildfire came within about 1 1/2 miles of the city on Wednesday, officials remained on alert for flareups and will evacuate the town of about 2,000 if needed. Already, the schools were closed Thursday and about 45 nursing home residents and 3-4 jail inmates were evacuated, he said.

"We're just anxious right now," Beesinger said.

A fire that began Monday in Archer County and went into Young County has burned about 13,500 acres. It's been 80 percent contained, Jeffery said.

While fighting that fire, four firefighters were injured in a head-on collision of fire trucks Monday. One remained hospitalized Thursday in stable condition, Beesinger said.

As of Wednesday night, about 333,000 acres have burned in Texas since Jan. 1, Jeffery said.